ENGLISH :
The aim of the study was to investigate present and past morbidity in drug addicts, 25 years after hospitalisation for acute hepatitis B or hepatitis nonA-nonB. The hospital records for 214 consecutively admitted patients were analysed, and a follow-up study on 66 of the 144 patients still alive was performed. At follow-up, 1 of 54 (1.8%) hepatitis B patients was still HBsAg positive. Twelve patients originally diagnosed as hepatitis nonA-nonB were all among 54 found to be anti-hepatitis C virus (anti- HCV) positive, and the total anti-HCV prevalence was 81.8%. Twelve (22.2%) of the HCV cases were unknown before the follow-up examination. Four (6.1%) participants were anti-human immunodeficiency virus positive, only 1 was on antiretroviral therapy, and none had developed AIDS. Other chronic somatic diseases were a minor problem, whereas drug users reported skin infections as a frequent complication. Forty-three patients (65%) had abandoned addictive drugs since the hospital stay. Serious mental disorders were reported by 19 patients (28.8%), and 17 (25.8%) regarded themselves as present (9) and former (8) compulsive alcohol drinkers. A large proportion of the participants were granted disability pension (39%), a majority because of psychiatric disorders, drug and alcohol abuse. (Author's abstract.)

Aim: This study aims to explore differences between Dutch and Norwegian adults in the acceptance of illicit drug use in relation to the normalization thesis.
Methods: Data were collected in November 2008. In total, 2150 Norwegian and 5616 Dutch respondents were included and the samples were weighted. The level of acceptance was assessed by measuring beliefs and opinions among Dutch and Norwegian people of 16 years and older and among different user groups in the Netherlands and Norway. t-Tests, χ²-tests and multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the differences between both countries.
Findings: Norwegian and Dutch respondents were somewhat reserved concerning the acceptance of illicit drug use. However, the acceptance of illicit drugs among Dutch respondents was significantly higher compared to Norwegian respondents. Regarding different user groups, even non-users in both countries showed a significant difference, with Dutch non-users accepting illicit drug use to a larger extent than Norwegians.
Conclusions: According to the findings of this study, the acceptance of illicit drug use seems to be larger in the Dutch society than in the Norwegian one.

Domaine :

Drogues illicites / Illicit drugs

Affiliation :

Department Tranzo, Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg University, LE Tilburg, the Netherlands